“Religion is reclaiming cinema for sacred purposes at a rate never seen in history, with faith-based movies exploding from an obscure cottage industry last century into a multi-billion-dollar business. Box office totals may not sound huge but they add up to a genre of filmmaking that has amassed almost $2 billion since the end of the last centur. About a third of that is from “The Passion of the Christ” by Mel Gibson.

Christian movies playing currently—
God’s Not Dead3, Paul the Apostle of Christ and I Can Only Imagine.

The most important thing is that these films are changing lives. People want answers and spiritual content. They want to learn about their faith.”

"A bill requiring Tennessee schools to prominently display the national motto 'In God We Trust' has been signed into law by Gov. Bill Haslam on April 2.
The bill received a strong approval in the House (81/99).
It passed in the Senate unanimously.
The legislation was sponsored by Rep. Susan Lynn, R-Mt. Juliet.

Rep. Lynn stated:

"Our national motto is on our money. It's on our license plates. It's part of our national anthem. Our national motto and founding documents are the cornerstone of freedom and we should teach our children about these things."

"Easter is the apex holiday of Christian worship. It’s a hopeful time when followers of Christ around the world — including members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints — remember and celebrate Jesus Christ’s suffering for our sins in the Garden of Gethsemane, His crucifixion on Calvary’s cross and His glorious Resurrection from death. Church founder Joseph Smith called the testimonies of the life of Jesus Christ, including His Resurrection and ascension into heaven, the “fundamental principles of our religion,” and “all other things are only appendages” to it.
With Easter and the Sunday sessions of the Church’s April 2018 general conference coinciding, each of the three members of the faith’s First Presidency shared important Easter messages at the conference’s Sunday morning gathering. . ."

"Davis’ lawyers long have contended that the case was not so much about same-sex duos obtaining licenses as it was an attack on Christians.
Her lawyers, at that time, noted a recurring theme in court filings from homosexuals: punish Kim Davis.
Liberty Counsel’s Staver said: “It has never really been about a marriage license – Rowan County has issued the licenses – it is about forcing their will on a Christian woman through contempt-of-court charges, jail and monetary sanctions.”
The attorneys said then: “The fact is the plaintiffs already possess marriage licenses from Rowan County that have been approved as being valid by the Kentucky governor and Kentucky attorney general. Kim has taken all reasonable steps and good faith efforts to substantially comply with this court’s orders.”
The evidence indicated the objective of the court cases was not simply to obtain licenses, but to reduce the Constitution’s religious rights to a secondary role behind homosexual rights, Liberty Counsel said."

As the final session of the 188th annual general conference came to a close, Russell M. Nelson, president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, announced plans to build seven new temples. These temples will be in the following locations: Salta, Argentina; Bengaluru, India; Managua Nicaragua; Cagayan de Oro, Philippines; Layton, Utah; Richmond, Virginia; and a major city yet to be determined in Russia."

2017 Statistical Report for 2018 April Conference NEWS RELEASE
31 MARCH 2018 - SALT LAKE CITY
The First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has issued the following statistical report concerning the growth and status of the LDS Church as of December 31, 2017.

"The great holiday of Easter, which symbolizes a triumph of life, good and love and has a huge moral significance. It wakens faith, hope and intention to do good deeds, to help to our fellow people. It consolidates people among eternal spiritual values and ideals. In these spring days filled with a sincere joy we understand the importance of the traditions and customs," Putin said in a statement, as quoted by the Kremlin press service.

"This week, moviegoers along the Wasatch Front may have their heartstrings pulled as they watch handcarts pushed in a new Mormon youth comedy called, "Trek: The Movie." The film opens this Friday.
As I've traced the history of the trek phenomenon — from an obscure one-off stake activity to a cultural ritual captured on the silver screen — I've wondered whether the Mormon pioneers could have envisioned such re-enactments becoming a central part of the Mormon youth experience.

Today, they are increasingly a rite of passage undertaken every summer by thousands of Mormons. And, well, if you think treks only take place in stakes between Logan and Provo, Utah, you may be surprised to learn that they are not uncommon in South America and elsewhere around the globe. . ."

“ Cardinal Joseph Zen, emeritus bishop of Hong Kong, blasted Pope Francis’ deal to accommodate and appease China in its desire to control the church by having its functionaries choose its leadership.
In defending the pact with China, one of the pope’s supporters, Bishop Sanchez Sorondo said today’s totalitarian Chinese regime today best exemplifies the social doctrine of the Catholic Church among governments in the world.
Zen, who spent seven years teaching in China’s official, state-approved church, said that from that direct experience, “I know that the church is completely enslaved to the government.”
In a blog written in December, Zen said Chinese authorities had demolished the crosses on many church buildings and questioned if the Vatican was knowledgeable about what had been happening. He said, in effect, the deal amounted to handing over the Catholic Church in China to “an atheist regime.”
The Catholic Church in China is divided into the illegal “underground” church, which remains faithful and in communion with Rome, and the Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association, whose bishops are appointed by the government. Members of the underground church are often persecuted by the Chinese government. While Catholic backers of the proposal justify it on the grounds it is needed to help preserve the hierarchy in China, Cardinal Zen invoked the example of Central Europe under Communism. Such agreements avoid appointing bishops who systematically oppose the government but, he contended, this means choosing opportunists who obey the government."